Christmas Album Brings Hope And 23,000 Meals To The Idaho Foodbank

Local musicians and their lyrical Christmas creations brought more than good cheer to Idaho last year.In December, we told you about a special musical collection aimed at raising money for The Idaho Foodbank. Now, we know just how much the album raised.

The fourth IdaHo Ho Ho Christmas CD raised enough cash to pay for 23,465 meals for those in need.

The annual fundraiser groups Idaho musicians, Moxie Java, and The Idaho Foodbank. Musicians donate their time and talent while Moxie Java bankrolls the CD. Proceeds from the album raised $7,821 for the Foodbank.

Over the past four years, the IdaHo Ho Ho album has raised enough cash to provide 96,000 meals for hungry Idahoans.

In Idaho, 17 percent of people don’t have access to enough food for an active, healthy life. That’s according to the hunger relief charity Feeding America. The Idaho Foodbank tries to help by partnering with food pantries around the state. But when there’s no pantry available, residents are left unserved. That's where the Foodbank's mobile service comes in.

In January, 231,647 people in Idaho were on food stamps. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, helps low-income families. But in Idaho, 17 percent of people are food insecure. The hunger relief charity Feeding America says they don’t have access to enough food for an active, healthy life.

Click on a county to find out how many people are on food stamps, and how many are food insecure.

As of January, more than 231,000 people in Idaho were on food stamps, now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP. The average Idaho recipient receives about $128 per month. For many, that’s not enough, and they rely on food pantries and family members for help. The Idaho Foodbank has a program designed to teach nutrition and food budgeting to those on limited incomes.